Capitalism and the wedding industry

Are you a capitalist? I am

CAPITALISM AND HOW IT'S NOT FOUND
IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY
My two cents on Capitalism, the wedding industry,
and how it mirrors the rest of the world.

I was raised a capitalist. My father was an entrepreneur who had a successful computer business. My mother, well she was a real estate investor. I was taught from an early age that hard work and determination would always yield great results. My dad reminded me, "The greatest trash collector on earth found a lotto ticket and laughed his way to the bank."

But as years went by, I realized that capitalism had nothing to do about HAVING money, or a great life, but everything to do with the freedom to PURSUE money or a great life. Now neither money, nor a great life was guaranteed in the world of capitalism. And as with great success, also came great losses. What many who don't understand about capitalism, is that it is a PROFIT and LOSS system. Sometimes you bet big and win, sometimes you break even, and sometimes you lose.

Losing is essential to making capitalism work

But the most important element to making capitalism work, is the loss factor. For example, businesses fear losing loyal customers, so they create better products, better services, and offer competitive prices. If something detrimental does happen to the business, that same business will do everything in their power to make sure they do not jeopardize the relationship they have with their customer. That fear of losing....turns companies and people into winners. Hey just like the game of football.

But when the threat of losing a customer from bad service or a bad product disappears, capitalism vanishes and socialism sets in. Because now winners are not determined by the market, but dictated by higher powers.

Now, you're going to be surprised when I say this, but in the wedding industry, a socialist environment actually exists. A wedding company, or wedding vendor, truly is never under the threat of losing customers. The truth is, it doesn't matter if we perform good or bad service for a couple, they are not coming back to us anyway! Right? As long as a wedding company advertises well, they will always have a steady influx of couples. Yes, we may benefit from referrals, but the number of new customers we receive is a 20 to every 1 referral. The threat of losses, to us, is null. There is none.

Still not convinced the wedding industry is socialist in nature? Okay, how about this. Take our wedding industry press. Magazines, books, websites...have you cracked open any of them and found that any editor, author, or writer, openly criticizing the industry? No. Isn't it funny that the individual elements of a wedding: photo, religion, video, culinary arts, are openly critiqued, but in the wedding industry, they're not. The magazines, books, and websites, are not on the side the customer, but on the side of the vendor. Articles are sometimes written by the vendor, they call it "advetorials." "Preferred Vendors" you see on websites such as the KNOT.COM, are paid advertising spots. KNOT.COM doesn't care if that vendor is great or not, all they care is that they get paid. The HVCB, of Hawaii Visitors Convention Bureau, operate the same way. Some of the companies that are endorsed are horrible wedding companies. Some are fake, but they still are allowed to be HVCB "approved" businesses because they paid their dues.

Hmm...an editorial industry, that doesn't really doesn't criticize its own, winners that are predetermined through how much money they spend, sounds pretty socialistic to me right?

Booking a wedding company online feel like a gamble? There's good reason.

Lets just make this worse. As a bride, you probably qualify possibly as the worse type of shopper, and best type of customer. Meaning, you're a first time buyer, uneducated in the wedding industry, emotional, and looking to spend tons of money in one day. I would call you sucker, but hopefully you're not that one yet :) Keep on reading so you won't become one.

But think about it. Brides can easily be suckered into paying too much for services because they don't have much to turn to when it comes to finding honest advice.

I'm really sorry if I'm being blunt here, but hey...this is just me. I'm just telling you the way it is.

Tourists traps are not much different than wedding traps

So what is the result of all this socialism in the wedding industry? To start, lets talk about sky rocketing prices. Yes, it is true that competition helps keep prices down. But because customers are rather uneducated on how much they should pay vendors, vendors pretty much have set their ceilings rather high. Wedding industry prices are pretty much like tourist prices...they're traps. They take advantage of an unknowing customer, because they can. For example, wedding photographers on average charge $2000 for ceremony only coverage (I don't), which works out to two hours of work. That's $1000 per hour that they are charging for shots taken on a digital camera, a lower quality than film. So not only are you paying more for photos, but getting less quality for it too! Even an anesthesiologist doesn't get paid that much. Photographers with more skill who work in the movie, fashion, and commercial industry don't get paid that much.

How about wedding cakes. Do you know there are bakers out there who charge more because your cake, is a wedding cake? The same cake, as a birthday cake, may cost $100's cheaper.

How about reception halls who charge $5.00 to refill your guests soda?

SO HOW DO YOU STOP FROM BEING RIPPED OFF
IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY?

There's a few "tell" signs when it comes to spotting "the good" and "the bad" wedding vendor. The following "tells" are not listed from most important to least. All are equal!

First tell, education. While you are confused as a bride, your wedding planner or vendor should try to calm your nerves by not only answering your questions, but also educating you. If they are educating you...they truly care. If they answer your questions with short quiz show answers, then, there's a red flag.

Also, while you're on the subject of education. Wedding magazines and books will not truly help you in answering your questions. They don't expose the truth about vendors, but specific industry periodicals will. Lets use photography again for example. Scared that your photographer may not be a great one? Look in a photography magazine for critical analysis on the art of photography. Learn what makes a great photographer and a bad one. You won't find the same criticisms in a wedding magazine, that's for sure. Do this for every element of your wedding if you wish.

Second tell, promptness and professionalism. From the 1st day, your wedding vendor should be prompt in responses to emails and phone calls. There is no true excuse for not returning emails or phone calls quickly Especially if they are getting paid for it! To me, personally a wedding planner should always be on call for their couples, just like a doctor. A wedding vendor who takes awhile to answer emails or to return phone calls, is lazy, which is a precursor to bad business.

Thirdly, consistency. Good service does not come in tides. It's always there from start to finish. Work should always look good, phone calls always returned.

Fourth, transparency. Am I sounding like Obama? Hahaha. I always believed that secrets are never a good thing unless you're planning a surprise. A wedding vendor should always tell you how they do...anything. I have a blog to say what's on my mind. I'm really the exception to the rule on this.

Fifth, and final, brutal and blunt honesty. Hey even I have a hard time figuring out whose honest and whose not. But I like to use vendors who wear their honesty on their sleeves so I can really tell what's ticking in that brain of theirs. They don't give me political answers. They tell me, the way it is.

Obama, not a fan of capitalism.

SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH OBAMA?
Not much really...but..wait, it does!

Many couples think I'm a republican, and a flat out "Obama-hater." I'm actually neither. I'm a guy who believes in free-market capitalism, and conservative values. They way I see it, America's success as a nation was a result of capitalism. But over time, and through corruption and politics, a new form of capitalism was created....CRONY CAPITALISM. "Crony Capitalism" is what happens very often between the private industry, and the government. Companies can no longer fail, but are TOO BIG TO FAIL. Hmm...what have we learned when we take the loss factor out of capitalism in the wedding industry? Socialism sneaks in. Same applies here.

Under George Bush and Obama, crony capitalism prevailed. Companies gained the edge over their competition, not by competing, but by making it harder for their competition to succeed by having the government intervene on their behalf. From Fortune 500 companies to banks, to home owners who borrowed too much, they were bailed out for making the wrong decisions. Companies, investors, and home owners that made the right decision, didn't place big bets, and cared for their money, suddenly didn't profit from their competitors making the wrong decision, but ended up paying to keep the others alive. If you paid your mortgage on time, through taxes, you basically had to pay for those who didn't pay their mortgage! Cronyism!

Here's something you didn't hear too much from the mainstream media. This housing bubble, internet bubble, all created not by the free market, but by the government. The federal reserve, kept interest rates too low, and people borrowed too much. Wealth was then determined by credit, not by actual savings. People borrowed too much, inflation exploded, then the bubble...burst. But in a true free market system, where interest rates were controlled by the market, not the federal chairman... The interest rates would have naturally gone higher as people saved less.

Next bubble to burst by the way...is the government. They are making the same mistake the private industry and the home owners made by borrowing too much.

To make things worse, now we have a press that is very much like the wedding industry's press. They are in lock-step with the President and not criticizing him with the same vigor as they did with Sarah Palin, George Bush, or even, Joe the Plumber. I still find it funny that the press concluded that Joe the Plumber didn't have the official qualifications to be a plumber, yet they did not question whether or not Obama had the official qualifications (natural born citizenship) to be president. The press said, Obama's birth announcement was in the newspaper's classifieds and that should give us enough evidence to show that he is qualified to be president. But Joe's plumbing advertisements in the classifieds were not enough evidence for him to be a plumber.... Something is funny here.

In a strange and sick way, I see Obama wanting America's Industry to become more like the Wedding Industry, and I find that pretty scary.... Does that mean socialism is right around the corner? Geez.....I truly hope not.


Till next time.


Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com/

Tracy and Carol's Wedding and Luau Adventure!

Almost eloping
FROM ARIZONA TO HAWAII TO A LUAU!
The Hawaii Wedding Adventure of Tracy and Carol

Tracy and Carol met online and it wasn't long before they knew they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Yes, another one of my couples who met online. It's the norm these days people, not the exception. What I do find surprising is that Tracy and Carol never met in person before they met online. They both reside in Flagstaff, Arizona, a small ski resort town nestled in the mountains of Arizona. Total population? 60,222, or less than what it would take to fill a football stadium. Honestly, I would think that Tracy and Carol would have had to run into each other at a Walmart!

That's one great first kiss. Elias looks stunned.

Yes, Flagstaff is a pretty small town. I remember when I first ventured there, I asked for directions to that local Walmart where they should have met. A nice old man told me to ride past the town, and Walmart will be on my left. So I hopped on my bike and found the Walmart, but didn't find the town.

"You rode by it", a woman told me as she pointed to the tiny buildings on the road.

"Oh, that's the town." Wow, boy am I ignorant,I thought.

Flagstaff is small, but that's it's strength. I kinda like it. It's a great town with tons of mountain biking trails, lots of outdoor things to do, and great people.

I like this photo

There are hundreds of reasons why Tracy and Carol are perfect for each other. I just happen to know one of them, politics. They agree politically. And they agree politically with me. Which way do they lean? My way... Which way that is? If you've read my blogs, you'll know.

Shooting directly into the sun. Take that digital cameras.

The gang

Tracy and Carol are a great couple. I shot their wedding last year, and we still keep in touch till this very day via email and facebook. This year I'll be heading to Arizona for a short vacation, and I'll be sure to stop by their place! By the way, if you didn't add me to your facebook page, do it! My page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/weddingguy. You can take a deeper look into my sick mind there and it's just a great way to keep in touch with me after your wedding. Oh, I list my religion there as Christian-Amish, but I'm not Amish. I don't think we have any Amish in Oahu. Yes, I'm funny like that.

Moon-walking on the beach?

What was really cool about my new friends was that they invited me to their Luau after their wedding. I was at first hesitant, because I didn't want to be a third wheel. But since their friends were there with them, I would technically be the fifth wheel, and I was a.o.k. with that. Fifth wheels get all chicks.

Tracy and Carol took me to Germaine's Luau, which was great, because I had never been there. Neither had Tracy, or their two friends. But Carol, was a Germaine's Luau veteran. She loved the show, and knew what was going down from beginning to end.

Tracy and Carol at Germaine's!

When comparing the two major Luau's, Paradise Cove and Germaine's, Germaine's always comes back with the more favorable reviews. It is much more intimate at Germaine's than Paradise Cove as the show takes place in a very small area.

The pig being removed from the Imu, or underground oven....that was good stuff

One of the elements of Germaine's Luau that I really enjoyed was the removal of the Kalua Pig from the Imu (Hawaiian for underground oven). I don't believe I saw this when I was at Paradise Cove, although I do know at Paradise Cove, they also cook their pig in an Imul. Kalua Pig is a signature Hawaiian dish, and to say the least, it taste awesome. Before I forget, Kalua, pronounced, "Ka-loo-ah," and it's Hawaiian for shredded. It's quite easy to make this dish, and you don't need an underground oven to do it.

Here's my quick recipe:

Take a large serving of pork butt and wrap it with tin foil. Take a steamer, fill it with water, and add a little liquid smoke flavor to the water. Then, steam your pork butt for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork butt is extremely tender (test with a fork). Unwrap, and shred the pork with two forks. It should shred easily! Then, create a salt sauce on the side by combining sea salt, vegetable oil, and a dab of liquid smoke to create the sauce. Then, like a surgeon, slowly mix in this sauce into portions of the shredded pig. Be careful not use too much sauce, or you'll have too salty Kalua Pig... Do it slowly...even watering down your mixture if you need with a little water. And there you go! Kalua Pig in your home!

What I picked out at the buffet. It's all you can eat! Great food.

The dancers of Germaine's Luau

Who is that shaking their booty? Hmm.....

My final verdict on the Germaine's Luau. It was extremely cool. I had a lot of fun, and the food was great. Is it better than Paradise Cove? Well, I don't know. It's not worse, it's not better. It's just different. I had fun at both. Germaine's does make a bogus claim though that they are the luau that locals go to...but the truth is, locals throw luaus in their backyard. Haha. I don't know which one I would recommend. They both are very very good. I can say one thing though. The women at Paradise Cove Luau are much better looking...haha. Maybe that's why my brides like Germaine's better...haha.

I really would like to thank Tracy and Carol for extending the invitation to Germaine's. That was extremely cool of them. I'll pay them back when I head to Flagstaff later this year! Applebee's right?!!! (I love that place, we don't have one here!)

I would like to end by saying that Tracy and Carol were my clients, now they're my friends...

I wish you my best and Godspeed.




Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com

Jared and Lauren

Now that's a Kodak moment... Luck had a lot to do with this shot, and vog (volcanic fog)

IT ALL STARTED AT APPLEBEE'S
The Hawaii Wedding of Jared and Lauren

Applebee's...home to great food, great service, and apparently, great love. Yes it all started at Applebee's for Jared and Lauren. Lauren was a server that was in training, and Jared was a corporate trainer. They met innocently on a professional level, and as time went by, their friendship evolved. Fast-forwarding to the present, Lauren left Applebee's for a different job opportunity, while Jared got promoted at Applebee's. Oh wait, did I forget to mention they got married in Hawaii sometime between that time and that their wedding was awesome? I did didn't I.

Well, Jared and Lauren got married in Hawaii, on Lanikuhonua's Beach, and it was awesome.

Now, that's a good looking couple

So on Jared and Lauren's special day, there was a bit of vog. Vog is volcanic fog, and at its worse, it can look as bad as the fog you would find in Los Angeles. Too much vog can be detrimental for pictures, taking away blue skies and sunsets. But just the right amount, like on the day of Jared and Lauren's wedding, can create once-in-a-lifetime pictures. What can I say...they got lucky

Crying at a wedding....hmm, that never happens!



It's funny, but I think I can tell what he's thinking by looking at his eyes. Can you?



I think this was their 3rd kiss after they got married.

I just wanted add a little of my two cents here about Applebee's. We don't have one in Oahu, or throughout the entire State of Hawaii. Nada, zilch, zero! Corporate, if you're listening, you really need to put one down here. Pretty please? I ate and Applebee's in the mainland, and it was awesome! Great food for a great price. While were on the subject of restaurants that should be in Hawaii...I also would like an Olive Garden here and a Krispy Kreme too, and a White Castle's!

Okay, I got that out of my system.

Sassy.



Funny story about this pose. I have no idea how Jared and Lauren got into it.
I could never duplicate it since.



That vog works wonders for pictures

So my last notes on Jared and Lauren. Is it just me or do they look like a movie star couple. Wow are they good looking. Stay out of the tabloids :) Kidding....


Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com/

Matt and Jessika take the plunge!

PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF
The Hawaii Wedding of Matt and Jessika

Do you remember the movie, Hitch? Well, if you don't, here's a quick rundown. It's a movie that stars Will Smith as a male relationship guru who helps men land the woman of their dreams. When I saw this movie, I literally told myself, "Man, I do a lot of what this guy Hitch does...I'm always telling men how to land the woman of their dreams. I'm HITCH! " To date, many of my friends are with the women they love because of yours truly.

Now, this is strictly my opinion, but I believe a lot of what is preached in the movie, Hitch, happens to be true. Women want a great man, a provider, a great father figure to her unborn children, you name it. But many times, a woman would make herself unavailable to meeting her future husband. This is primarily due to the fact that so many horrible men have approached her in the past. So how does a knight-in-shining armor land his Lady Guinevere? With a nonthreatening angle and calculated constancy. And this is exactly how Matt landed his future wife, Jessika.

That's a great smile.

Jessika was a bartender, and back then, Matt was purely a customer and of course, an admirer. Matt would strike up a casual conversation with Jessika and share a few laughs. When Matt finally mustard up the courage to ask Jessika out, she quickly turned him down. I don't blame Jessika for turning down Matt. I'm sure, as a bartender, she was asked out quite frequently, and rejection was just part of keeping things professional at her job.

Matt soon picked himself up and tried again. He shared a few laughs with Jessika, then asked her out... again, just to get shot down...again. The ironic thing was that Jessika had no idea that she was rejecting her future husband. But luckily for Jessika, Matt didn't give up. He was in love, and he wasn't like the other men who asked her out before. So he kept at it. In fact, Jessika told me it wasn't until Matt's fifth attempt, when she finally said agreed to go out on a date with him.

Consistency was Matt's angle, and it worked.

Matt and Jessika, at sunset

Well it didn't take long before Jessika realized that Matt was a great guy, and soon joined Matt in an ocean of bliss that only they could describe. Then when Matt asked her to marry, he didn't have to ask five times. It only took one time...with one yes...because Matt was the one she had waited for all her life.

Matt and Jessika's Hawaii Wedding from Steven Young on Vimeo.

Moral of the story? For men...rejection is part of the game. I'm sure Adam got rejected by Eve, his own rib! But be sure men, to keep up that consistency. Always date your wife, and never take her for granted. The moral of the story for women, you just never know where you'll meet your future husband. Good men are lurking everywhere, you just have to give them a chance. And when you finally land that great man, and he becomes your husband, always remember to be your husband's girlfriend.




Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Reporter
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com

Eric and Tatiana's Hawaii Wedding

Tatiana and Eric at Sunset Beach

TALE OF THE TWO NFL FANS
The Hawaii Wedding of Eric and Tatiana

Eric and Tatiana sealed the deal on September 5, 2008. Yes, that was awhile ago! Why did I not blog about them sooner? Well, back then, I really wasn't blogging as much. More so, that was during my lazy blogging phase. I should have blogged about them though, it just slipped my mind.

So Tatiana is a die-hard Redskin's fan, and Eric, he's a die-hard Steeler's fan. The fact that a Steeler's fan and Redskin's fan can fall in love, proves to me that there is a God. Hey, even they will admit, when those two teams play each other, it's hard to be in the same room together. But lets face it men, any woman who knows their way around the pigskin, is awesome in our book. We really don't care what team they root for.

I like this shot. Eric's head is glowing.

Now the above shot is an affect that is done on purpose, and is rather easy to do. It is made by putting a strong light source, whether it'd be the sun, flood light, even even a flashlight behind someone's head, in this case Eric's. The result: A heavenly effect. This shot works well for weddings, and if the timing is right, I always try to pull it off. But let me tell you one thing here. The press, ALWAYS tries to pull off shots like this of Obama if they can. I know Eric's going to kill me for putting an Obama comment in his wedding blog...haha. Like me, he and Tatiana and die hard conservatives. But it's true!

Sunset Beach. Looks secluded? Well, not really.

My football couple sealed their vows on Sunset Beach. A little note here about this beach; It's huge, but it's not secluded. There are tourist there, but the great news is that they congregate around one central area. To the extreme left and right portions of the beach, apparently for some reason, tourists flee. Maybe there are sharks in the water that I don't know about, or maybe the tourists are just too lazy to walk that far. Whatever the case, this makes Sunset Beach a very good beach to get married at.

Pastor Stan, smiling as Eric and Tatiana have their first kiss as husband and wife

Recognize those trees in the background. This is where "Lost" is filmed

This is also where "Lost" is filmed.

Near the old folks home, the abandoned building

We actually hit a few different locations around Sunset Beach, after Eric and Tatiana tied the knot. I took them to Kawela Bay, a location made famous by the hit television show "Lost," and then we hit the abandoned building right across the street, which actually is part of an old folks home. Let me just say, for the record, that both of these locations are somewhat private estates. Kawela Bay is owned by Turtle Bay, yet is opened to the public for recreational swimming. The abandoned building is on the property of an old folks home. Did I get permission to shoot these. Nope. We just snuck in and took some great shots and left. We were in and out. Just like a ninja. Yes, I admit, I am a renegade when it comes to getting shots, but hey...tell me a great photographer who isn't? Most photographers are renegades. From paparazzi to the kids who shoot skateboard magazine, to photographers who organize 100 naked people to block of a street, to me, the sneaky photographer....we all break the law for the best shot.

So my thoughts on this couple. It's too bad they didn't live in Hawaii. I know we'd be hanging out quite often. But at least I know I have friends in D.C. now!



Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com

Manny and Diana's Sunset Beach Wedding

In the water at Sunset Beach

AIMING HIGH
The Hawaii Wedding of Manny and Diana

"Aim high," was the what the Air Force preached, and it was exactly what Manny and Diana did when they met each other. Manny and Davy met the old fashioned way, as they met at work while in the Air Force. These days, everyone seems to be meeting everyone on the Internet! But not these two. Diana, trained nurses for a living, and Manny trained emergency rescuers. I can honestly say that Diana and Manny are the heroes hero. Anyway, the star-crossed lovers crossed paths quite often at work, one thing led to another, and to make a long story short, they ended up contacting me to marry them in Hawaii. Wow, talk about skipping forward to the next chapter in the story huh...hahha. That's paraphrasing for you...

I kept calling Diana "Diasy" because I kept staring at her flowers in her haku.

Manny and Diana's wedding was very simple, as with most of my weddings. They ordered the eloping package, a maile lei for Danny, and a Haku for Diana. Their choice of location? Sunset Beach, as they wanted beach sunset shots.

This is an interesting pose. Manny as background filler once again.

You know, shooting sunsets is rather interesting. I would like to steal a line from my favorite retard, Tom Hanks, and say that shooting sunsets is like a box of chocolates, because you never really know what you're going to get, because it's true. You really never know what the weather will be like, and lighting conditions are never really the same. Many photographers hate shooting into the sun, because it's very difficult. I'm kinda used to it though....

I like these laying down shots, but it requires the couple willing to get dirty.

Study this shot for a second here....

So a little bit more about photography. Shooting perfect sunset shots is also not just about the photographer. The lab which the photographer goes to, is extremely important. They can turn the above shot into a silhouette, or they can brighten it to a point where the sky is washed out. When it comes to color balance, the lab has 100% control over how they think the shot should look like. In Hollywood, they would say, you would always have to rely on "the kindness of strangers." Well, this applies to wedding photography as well. I truly rely on my professional lab here to deliver great results for me. If I were to just drop these pictures off to Costco, the quality would come out much different.

I still want to call her Daisy. Doesn't that yellow flower distract your attention? haha

My last two cents on my happy couple. I wish you my best. I remember Manny telling me that he was trying to become an officer. So I'm thinking, he's hopefully an officer by now? They got married this summer, so it's been about 6 or 7 months. Wow, I am so behind in this blogging stuff...haha.


Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com

Paul and Tammy, back in Hawaii...for a bit

Reverend Elias seals the deal for Paul and Tammy

LOCALS FLY BACK HOME TO MARRY
The Hawaii Wedding of Paul and Tammy

I don't really do many local weddings. Part of it is by choice, part of it is because I just don't market to them. Locals tend to marry big, while destination brides, marry small. So, if I'm being blunt here, I like to do the smaller weddings because they are a lot easier, and the profit margins are basically the same when compared to larger weddings.

Now Paul and Tammy are not my typical couple. For starters, they were born and raised in Waianae and moved to the mainland. They made the trip back to Waianae to get married, and that's where they contacted me.

And you may kiss your bride

Paul and Tammy's wedding took place on the very west shores of Oahu at Maile Beach Park. It is one of the few parks in Waianae that I actually feel safe marrying couples on, since the others are crowded with the homeless. I actually don't recommend any of the Waianae Beaches to get married, including Maile, unless you are renting a condo on that side of the island. The drive is extremely far, and there are beaches that are equivalent in beauty, closer to town.

the traditional after kiss hug

Paul and Tammy knew each other for as long as they could remember. They grew up together, laughed together, and probably threw rocks at each other as kids.

Palm tree shots vary given the tree

The entire family

Not many couples can pull off the serious wedding shot, but they could

The waves that day were huge. We timed this shot between sets.

Look whose smiling

I really like this shot

My last notes for Paul and Tammy.... When I shot their wedding, I remembered one thing. Paul and Tammy had been together for some time now. They grew up together, lived together, even had a child together before tying the knot. But on the day of their wedding, as they looked at each other during the vows, it looked as though they fell in love all over again for the first time. They smiled at each other as though it was the first time, kissed as though it was the first time, laughed together as though it was the first time. It was rather evident that the fire between the two had never extinguished.

Pretty cool if you ask me.


Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddinghawaii.com

Nick and Elise tie the knot!

at Kaena Point...

NICK AND ELISE
Going all the way

Do you know what I just realized? That I should blog more often. Why? Well, for the obvious. It really helps my business. I know it did before, but I guess this little blog I have, gives me the edge over my competition, as you can really get to know who I am.

Okay, so onto the wedding blog, Nick and Elise. In the most heterosexual bro type of way, because I'm not gay, I have to say, it's really hard not to like a guy like Nick. Just for starters, he's a real life superhero who had put his life on the line to defend the freedoms of this country. Nick, a multi-tour Iraq war veteran, served his time in the military diffusing bombs. Talk about a dangerous job. On top of that, he's very cool. Elise also too, is extremely likable. I don't like-like her, you know what I mean. Anyway, Elise has a laid back personality that is extremely infectious. So war hero meets infections laid back woman, hey, sounds like a match made in heaven right? How about a match made in Oahu.

I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs....

Nick and Elise chose Kaena point to tie the knot. They found a little cove that they thought would be perfect for them and for pictures. I'm going to be quiet honest with you here. The cove was small, and very difficult to photograph. Think of coves as small rooms in a house. Larger rooms, like living rooms, are easier to photograph than bathrooms. This cove truly tested my skills. The result though, was still the same...great photos!

Sometimes, lens flares can make a picture look great

Weddings I think are the only times where it's okay to kiss and tell..haha

Personally, I like this wind blown look.

Some of the challenges of shooting a wedding at Kaena was the wind. Elise had her hair down, and the wind just had it's way with it. But patience is all it took. That and a little coaching from me to God. Another challenge was the salt air. The salt air, kicked up by the waves, did a number on my lens and viewfinder. Every three shots, my camera seemed to photograph blurry. My viewfinder also became very blurry. It came to a point that I literally had to use science to make sure I had focused pictures.

In order to cut through the glare, I deduced that my flash should do the trick. More so, a stronger flash tough probably added a little more sharpness to the pictures. Luckily, my guess was right.

In this photo, I had to trust in math and science

When it comes to photography, many times, what you see is not what you get. And there comes times, where what you see, is really not what you get. As a film photographer, I don't have the luxury of seeing my photos after I take a shot. Now many see that as a problem, and sometimes, I wish I could see my photos instantly after I took it. But 99% of the time, the math never fails me. And when it comes to film photography, I only have to be somewhat correct when it comes to exposure. If I over expose or underexpose a photo, the lab can usually correct it. When it comes to digital, you pretty much have to be pretty precise. If you're off, you can digitally correct it, but if you do...with digital, you can pretty much notice it right away.

My last notes on Nick and Elise. Well not much. I know Nick got out of the military, so it's really nice to know that he'll be safe and out of danger. I wish both he and Elise, my very very best.


Steve Young
The Hawaii Wedding Report
http://www.dreamweddingshawaii.com